One people, one nation, one Philippines!

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo outlined her vision of a unified Philippines and Filipino people with the preceding cryptic summary during her press conference this morning in Malacanang.

The President’s outlined vision of the country was a follow-up of what she said in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives last Monday.

"Ours is a country divided. The story of our nation is a tale of two Philippines; almost as it were, two countries under the same name," she said in her SONA.

In her press conference this morning, the President said that to achieve her vision of a "unified" Philippines, certain things have to be delivered first.

Among the priority concerns, she said, are good education, jobs generation and a shift to parliamentary form of government from the present presidential. These moves, she noted, would greatly help achieve her vision of "one people, one nation, one Philippines."

"We must provide our youth with world-class education, help them get decent paying jobs when they graduate and put in place a modern responsive government to help them succeed and move the country forward, not hold it back," the President stressed.

She said she would look into the cases of education pre-need firms which suddenly became unable to support their clients due to lack of funds.

She also disclosed that she has asked Congress to craft a law that would protect the interests of the consumers while ensuring the stability of the pre-need companies.

President Arroyo likewise pointed out that the second phase of her economic reform agenda includes strategies for the upliftment of the quality of education, funding for job creation and the "change" in the political system.

She assured the nation she would continue to work hard and strive to achieve the dream of every parent to send their children to school and to see them graduate.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s new economic team is now putting the final touches to a proposed P1-trillion national budget for next year.

In a press conference at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall this morning, the President said she is upbeat the team would be able to meet the August 25 deadline for submission to Congress of the proposed budget.

"Ang deadline usually is one month after Congress opens. Usually ginagawa ko talaga iyon one-month after Congress opens so August 25 ang deadline. Sa pagka-intindi ko ang ininahandang budget ay P1 trillion," she said.

The President allayed fears that the 2006 national budget might encounter problem in the Congress deliberation due to other issues such as the debate on the proposed Charter change and impeachment complaint.

President Arroyo said that under the present system in the country, a failure by Congress to enact the proposed budget would result in the automatic reenactment of the previously approved budget.

"Ang masasabi ko lamang sa ilalim naman ng ating kasalukuyang sistema hindi naman parang iyong Amerika na kung hindi pumasa iyong budget ay titigil ang gobyerno, meron naman tayong sistemang reenactment of the previous budget, so, hindi malaking pangamba iyong problema na kung matatapos ba o hindi ang pagtatalakay sa budget," she explained.

The President said that the P1-trillion proposed budget will be sourced partly from new tax measures she endorsed and adopted by Congress earlier this year.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today attributed to God and His ultimate goodness, her inner strength in withstanding the intense political pressure for her to step down from office amid the country’s obtaining political crisis.

"From the Lord, from praying," the President said in response to a question on what helps her weather the political pressure for her to resign in a press conference in Malacanang this morning.

"Gaya nang sabi ko (like what I said), it’s not because we are worthy but because God is good," she explained.

The President also expressed gratitude to her family for being mature enough in facing the current political crisis besetting her.

She singled out her daughter Luli, the second among the President and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo’s three children, for speaking out lately in defense of the First Family.

"She’s our only daughter, the jewel in the family. She’s humble, very principled, hard working, a very private person.   I appreciate that she has been speaking lately so the public would understand our family," the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today she would initiate the creation of a Consultative Constitutional Commission (CCC) that would give inputs to the House of Representatives anent possible amendments to the Constitution leading to Charter change (Cha-cha).

In a press conference this morning at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall, the President directed Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to coordinate with her legal team on the issuance of an Administrative Order (AO) establishing the commission.

"Kaya inaatasan ko si Secretary Ed Ermita na sabihin sa aking mga abogado na gumawa ng AO para sa isang Consultative Constitutional Commission para talakayin ang mga bagay na ito sa buong sambayanan at magbigay ng input sa Kongreso para mas maging madali ang kanilang trabaho", she said.

The President said she intends to tap the services of Constitutional expert and former University of the Philippines (UP) president, Professor Jose Abueva, as part of the legal team that will form the CCC.

She explained that the commission will only submit inputs or proposals but the decision in amending the Constitution solely depends on Congress.

President Arroyo clarified that she has no plans of pre-empting Congress in its task of amending the Constitution that would pave the way for the change in the system of government.

Malacanang said today the Truth Commission it is set to organize would investigate both the allegations of wrongdoings by the President and the suspected destabilization conspiracy behind the allegations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo explained the scope of the Truth Commission’s investigation mission in a press conference she held this morning with the Malacaņang Press Corps (MPC) in Malacanang.

"I’d like to stress that when I said that I would organize a fact-finding commission, it’s not only on the allegations against me but also on the conspiracy behind the allegations. That one is very clear," she stated.

The President said the Executive Order (EO) to form a Truth Commission is still being finalized and will consider various ideas and opinions that emerged after she made the announcement about the creation of a commission to look into the truth behind the issues recently raised against her administration.

President Arroyo expressed her hope that the search for the truth will also shed light on what she described as "disturbing matters."

In an recent letter to Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop Fernando Capalla, the Chief Executive said she is willing and ready to create a Truth Commission to investigate the allegations of wrongdoing hurled against her by the political opposition.

The CBCP, in a declaration following a special conference designed to define its stand on the political crisis confronting the Arroyo administration, declined to endorse the mounting calls for her resignation, but cited the issue of moral accountability and the need to restore trust in her leadership.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today cited the outgoing ambassador of Qatar for his great contribution to the ongoing peace negotiation between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"Thank you very much. My administration recognizes all you have done for the peace process," the President said during the farewell call of Ambassador Ibrahim Abdulraham Al-Meghaiseeb of Qatar at Malacanang’s Music Room this afternoon.

The Chief Executive added that the Philippine government also recognizes the assistance extended by Al-Meghaiseeb during his term of duty in the country’s application for an observer status with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

During the call, the President awarded the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu to Al-Meghaiseeb as a show of great appreciation of the Philippine government to the good bilateral relations which have developed between the two countries.

Ambassadors Salem M. Adam of Libya and Mohammed Ebrahim Al-Jowaid of the United Arab Emirates, who accompanied Al-Meghaiseeb in Malacanang, witnessed the awarding rites.

Qatar, Libya and United Arab Emirates are regular members of the OIC, the influential Muslim organization which is helping the Philippine government forge a peace pact with the MILF to finally end the hostilities in Mindanao.

Also present in the brief meeting between the President and the ambassadors of the OIC is Foreign Affairs acting Secretary Rafael Seguis.

In the same occasion, Ambassador Adam of Libya informed the President that the OIC extended their congratulations to her, particularly on her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.